Council to discuss scooters, referendum petition

Jan Fisk, left, speaks in favor of expanding the city's nondiscrimination ordinance to include protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity on Monday, October 13, 2014. The bill passed 6-3.(Photo: Valerie Mosley/News-Leader)Buy Photo

The public can comment on the future of Springfield's expanded nondiscrimination ordinance at tonight's City Council meeting, as well as a bill that would affect those who drive scooters in the city.

Following the success of a referendum petition, council now considers two related bills. The first would repeal council's Oct. 13 decision to add protections on the basis of sexual of orientation and gender identity; the second would place the issue on the ballot of the April municipal election. A vote is not expected.

• The proposed expansion of an ordinance passed in 2011 that aimed to deter metal thefts and help police catch thieves. The current ordinance requires scrap yards and similar businesses to report purchases or exchanges involving more than $50 of scrap metal — such as aluminum, copper and platinum — on a computerized system accessible by police.

Police Chief Paul Williams requested council amend the ordinance to remove the dollar threshold, essentially requiring a database of all scrap metal sales within city limits, with the exception of aluminum cans. Representatives for McCoy Iron & Metal told council two weeks ago that the scrap yard could take a loss on small transactions because of staff time needed to fulfill the requirement.

• A proposed redevelopment plan for the side side of South Hampton Avenue, between East McDaniel Street and East Walnut Street, that includes designating the property as blighted. The area in question consists of three parcels that add up to about 0.58 acres. One parcel is vacant; the other two have single-family residential structures on them that were built in 1903 and 1923, respectively.

311 S. Hampton, LLC wants to demolish the structures and construct a townhouse-style multi-family residential development with nine units among three two-story structures. Most units would have two bedrooms and an attached garage. The plan would allow up to 15 units among four structures that could be up to three stories each.